#20. Submarine

The IT Crowd star Richard Ayoade proves that he has quite the talent behind the camera with his directorial debut. With flares of Woody Allen, albeit with a darker color palette, Submarine is a dryly funny story about a 15-year old kid named Oliver (Craig Roberts) who wants to lose his virginity, and also break up his mother and a resurfaced ex-boyfriend. Yasmin Paige shines as the object of his affection, a mysterious, strong young girl who deserves a movie all her own. It’s subtle, quirky and worth seeking out.

#19. The Squid and the Whale

Before he became Mark Zuckerberg, Jesse Eisenberg made a splash with Noah Baumbach‘s spectacular indie about two boys coming to terms with their parents divorce in the 1980s. This dysfunctional family isn’t very likeable, but that’s what makes them so fascinating to watch as we see these two young boys led astray, learning what the world is like outside of the walls of their peculiar family unit.

#18. Superbad

Not only is this one of the best teenage comedies of the past 20 years, but it has a lot of heart in the two lead characters played by Michael Cera and Jonah Hill. As college approaches, in the span of one night, they learn a lot about each other that they weren’t aware of before, something that all best friends go through at some point. Mixed in is also a night of wild shenanigans that make this an outrageous, hilarious movie that every high schooler should see before college.

#17. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

It was always going to be a challenge to bring this beloved coming-of-age book to the big screen, but author Stephen Chbosky did it all himself, and the film adaptation starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller is all the better for it. All three main characters put in standout performances, painting a picture of high school that will be more than familiar to those who were outcasts. Really it’s a movie for anyone who has ever felt alone or unsure of themselves, and that’s all of us.

#16. Juno

Nothing will force a teen to grow up faster than an unexpected pregnancy. Thankfully, Juno (Ellen Page) is no ordinary teen, and her maturity and confidence in this matter makes her quite the loveable character. But she’s not beyond being a little naive and immature in some respects, and that’s where her development comes into play. As she’s unsure about her relationship with the Tic-Tac breathed Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), she learns about the uncertainty of love from the flawed Jason Bateman and his misguided marriage with Jennifer Garner. It’s a tough choice between this and Up in the Air for Jason Reitman‘s best film.